Paige Spiranac torches WNBA villain over Caitlin Clark attack

Social media influencer Paige Spiranac has taken aim at a WNBA player who delivered an ugly hit on a game changing female star.

Paige calls out WNBA attacks on Caitlin Clark

Paige Spiranac is sticking up for Caitlin Clark after the Indiana Fever star was sent tumbling to the ground by a cheap shot from Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter on Sunday.

Carter blindsided Clark with a hip-check foul as Clark waited for an inbounds late in the third quarter of the Fever’s 71-70 win over the Sky after Carter made a basket.

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The incident sent basketball fans into a spin after Carter got off without being called for a flagrant foul.

Spiranac, a social media influencer, took issue with Carter and the rest of the WNBA players who have been trying to bring Clark down.

“Imagine bringing millions of new fans to the game which in turn will make every player more money and yet they treat you like this,” Spiranac wrote on X. “A rising tide lifts all boats.”

Carter hits Clark with an off the ball shove

Spiranac isn’t happy about the attack.

Clark, 22, was interviewed on ESPN between the third and fourth quarters and took umbrage with the incident.

“Yeah, that’s just not a basketball play,” Clark said. “But you know, I’ve gotta play through it, that’s what basketball is about at this level. I thought we’ve been really physical, we’ve missed some bunnies around the rim, so hopefully, those fall in the fourth.”

Carter, 25, declined to address the incident during a postgame press conference.

After becoming a superstar at Iowa and being a part of a series of television ratings records for women’s college basketball, Clark has brought more eyeballs to the WNBA after going No. 1 to the Fever in the draft.

The added attention has perhaps put a target on Clark’s back.

“I feel like I’m getting hammered, I don’t know,” Clark said after the Fever’s loss to the Storm, in which she and Victoria Vivians got in each other’s faces after Vivians appeared to shove Clark.

Clark has helped take the WNBA to new heights. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

But it was the incident with Carter that got under the skin of former NBA player Matt Barnes who called out Clark’s teammates for not coming to her defence.

“I mean, throughout the season, she’s been getting beat up. Hard screens, elbows, knocked down,” Barnes said.

“It is what it is; she’s not the first, she won’t be the last. My issue and my question is, Where the f*** are her teammates at? Where y’all at? Where are the rest of the Indiana Fever at?

“I’ve seen a couple of girls smirk when she’s got knocked down, half-ass to pick her up. Like, y’all supposed to protect the asset, protect the star. And although this is a team, you always protect your star.

“I was someone who protected the stars. You f*** with Kobe, (Chris Paul), Blake (Griffin), the list goes on, it’s going to be a problem.

Barnes was always there for his teams star players. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Clark has been left to fight her own battles. Luke Hales/Getty Images/AFP

The former player was known for his physical style on the court along with not being afraid to protect his team’s best players if he had to.

“You guys are supposed to be a family,” Barnes continued.

“And you wonder why you sit at the bottom of the league right now, it’s because y’all don’t protect each other, man.

“Coach don’t do sh*t about it, players don’t do sh*t about it. Y’all should be ashamed of it.

“But the rest of the league is going to continue to test her. That’s what they’re supposed to do.

“It’s your guys’ f***ing job to have her back, and to have each others’ backs. Got to do better, ladies.”

Originally published as Paige Spiranac torches WNBA villain over Caitlin Clark attack